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Bomb Discourages Afghan Ethnic Fighting

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2002  An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped a 500-pound bomb as a show of force in the province of Nangarhar in Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force 180 officials said.

Two Afghan groups were engaged in fighting near a U.S. special operations camp. No U.S. service members were involved with the fighting, which seemed to be between two rival factions.

"The U.S. forces were in the area and observed the fighting," said a Defense Department spokesman. Personnel at the base called on the A-10 to drop a bomb on an unoccupied area near the groups. There were no casualties from the American bomb.

U.S. officials said the strike had the intended effect: The Afghan factions stopped fighting and left the area.

Press reports from the area said that one Afghan died and six were wounded in the fighting.